Science Chapter 15 Vocab

Question 0

Define biota

Answer 0

Collection of living things that live within the biosphere

Question 1

The part of earth where life exists

Answer 1

Biosphere

Question 2

All of earths water is called the

Answer 2

Hydrosphere

Question 3

The air blanketing earths solid and liquid surface

Answer 3

Atmosphere

Question 4

The features of earths surface such as the continents, rocks, and sea floor, and everything below earths surface.

Answer 4

Geosphere

Question 5

Define climate.

Answer 5

The long term pattern of weather conditions in a region.

Question 6

Define microclimate.

Answer 6

The climate of a small specific place within a large area

Question 7

Typically found in a tropical rainforest biome, what is the uppermost of the trees called?

Answer 7

Canopy

Question 8

A(n) ____________ is an area where the primary plant life is grass.

Answer 8

Grassland

Question 9

This biome receives less than 25 centimeters of precipitation per year and is a very dry, arid climate.

Answer 9

Desert

Question 10

_____________ trees have adapted to winter temperatures by dropping their leaves and going dormant during the cold season.

Answer 10

Decidous

Question 11

___________ trees retain their needles all year.

Answer 11

Coniferous

Question 12

Also known as the boreal forest

Answer 12

Taiga

Question 13

This biome is located beyond the taiga in the far northern latitudes

Answer 13

Tundra

Question 14

Also called Mediterranean shrubland is categorized by its hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters

Answer 14

Chaparral

Question 15

This zone is the strip of land between the high and low tide lines.

Answer 15

Intertidal zone

Question 16

This zone extends from the intertidal zone out to the edge of the continental shelf. (At low tide it is 200 meters deep)

Answer 16

Neritic zone

Question 17

This zone extends from the edge of the Neritic zone to the base of the continental shelf.

Answer 17

Bathyal zone

Question 18

This zone lies between 2000meters and is in complete darkness

Answer 18

Abyssal zone

Question 19

Tiny free floating organisms that live underwater

Answer 19

Plankton

Question 20

Another term for animal plankton

Answer 20

Zooplankton

Question 21

Photosynthetic plankton, which include microscopic protists such as algae

Answer 21

Phytoplankton

Question 22

These are found within the tropical climate zone, in this area water is warm year round. One of these is home to 50-400 species of coral.

Answer 22

Coral reefs

Question 23

__________ exist in the cold, nutrient rich waters, composed of large communities of kelp, a seaweed.

Answer 23

Kelp forests

Question 24

Define estuary

Answer 24

A partially enclosed body of water formed where a river flows into an ocean.

Question 25

A(n) ___________ is a region of land that drains into a river, a river system, or another body of water

Answer 25

Watershed

Question 26

Similar to the oceanic intertidal zone, this zone is located between the high and low water marks along the shoreline. Their waters are well-lit, warm, and shallow. Living organisms include water lilies, dragonflies and snails.

Answer 26

Littoral zone

Question 27

This zone, also known as the pelagic zone, refers to the open water located further out shore. It is characterized by many plankton which keep the diversity of fish high.

Answer 27

Limnetic zone

Question 28

This type of zone is the lake or pond bottom, where less sunlight reaches Decomposers such as bacteria live in the mud and sand of this zone.

Answer 28

Benthic zone